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August 21, 2014

Google on Thursday released a new transparency report, which revealed the number of URLs requested to be taken down from its search engine has skyrocketed to more than a million a day.

Based on Google's data, which was charted for us by Statista, Google was asked to remove about 8 million search results just last week. As you can see from the chart, the number of takedown requests shot up around May, which is when Google first decided to publicize the contents of those takedown requests. As 9to5Google's Mark Hearn points out, Google only received a few hundred takedown requests per year just a few years ago. But as it becomes easier to upload and access pirated content via search engines and torrents, the number of URL removal requests is only expected to increase.

August 17, 2014

Today the people of Kurdistan and Iraq are threatened by a fanatical and barbaric terrorist organization that wishes to dominate Middle East. We are resolved to defeat this threat with the help of the United States and our friends around the world.

There can be no overstating how perilous the situation is. The terrorist blitzkrieg of the Islamic State has swept from Syria into Iraq, with its goal of conquering and controlling a large swath of the world. While some of its more distant aspirations may be beyond its grasp, Iraq and other parts of the Middle East and Central Asia are not.

The slaughter and destruction in Syria and parts of Iraq are the unvarnished template of what can be expected in any part of the world where they will rule.

We are the United States' staunch allies in the region, and we have the only force in the area with the means and will to protect thousands of lives from the horrors that these terrorists bring. But we cannot do it alone.

It is true that the antecedents of this crisis are political. The same was true of the rise of Nazism. But now that the terrorists have become an operating military force, this is no longer a political crisis; it is a security crisis, and the world must act to prevent genocide and the slaughter of innocents. Any position held by the terrorists should immediately be considered a target, not just those around Irbil and Mount Sinjar. This fight will have to be waged by the civilized world at some stage. The longer the delay, the more difficult the fight will become.

Our pesh merga military is positioned to be the vanguard of the civilized world along a broad front. We have stood with United States before, in 1991 and 2003 against the regime of Saddam Hussein, and we are doing so again. But in the wake of recent advances by Islamic State forces, Kurdistan shares a 600-mile border with the terrorists, and we desperately need more coordinated assistance. We hope that the U.S. airstrikes against terrorist positions on Friday were just the beginning. U.S. intelligence assets could help reduce the terrorists' ability to launch surprise attacks. Deliveries of heavy weapons are urgently needed for the pesh merga to achieve gains on the ground.

Terrorists have captured a great deal of U.S. heavy weaponry from the Iraqi Security Forces. With the addition of territory comes the ability to terrorize new populations, to indoctrinate and recruit military-age men, to raise revenue through taxation and control of oil resources and to extend their intelligence network. The stronger they become, the harder they will be to defeat.

We are thankful to our friends on Capitol Hill and in the White House for the support that they have given us over the years. Only because the situation is absolutely urgent do we humbly ask our friends to help us again.

This past week, the terrorists launched a new offensive directly targeting Kurdish-protected towns, including the Mosul dam area, the Sinjar district and the Rabia crossing into Syria.

For centuries, this area of Iraq has been home to multiple religions and sects. Not anymore. As a first order of business, terrorists ordered Christians to convert to Islam, pay an exorbitant tax or suffer deadly consequences. Those not conforming have been killed in the most horrific of manners. For the first time in the history of Iraq, Mosul is virtually empty of Christians. Hundreds of thousands of residents, including Christian and Yazidi religious minorities, are at immediate risk of being slaughtered. There can be no doubt that this fits the description of genocide.

Meanwhile, as a result of the conflict in Syria and the terrorist advances in Iraq, the Kurdistan region has received more than a million refugees and internally displaced people.

The pesh merga face an enemy that has vastly superior U.S. weaponry. It is essential that we receive military support from the United States and other friends immediately. Every day that the terrorists are able to operate freely brings more loss of life, a mounting humanitarian crises, destruction and horror.

Every religion, state and community must voice its support for civilization and humanity. And those countries with capacity to help - first and foremost the United States - must understand that this is an urgent danger and act accordingly. We must stop the terrorists now. With air support and military equipment, we can.

Pradhanmantri Jan-Dhan Yojana to provide for a bank account, a debit card and an insurance amount of Rs. one lakh, for the poor

Digital Infrastructure a priority to empower Indians

Swachh Bharat initiative to be launched on October 2nd

Toilets in all schools within a year

Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana to be launched

New institution to replace Planning Commission

Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today called upon all citizens to contribute to the cause of building national character. Addressing the nation for the first time from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 68th Independence Day, he said, it is an occasion for introspection for all, as to how his or her acts would weigh on the scale of National Interest. Let all actions be in the National Interest, and be seen as a contribution towards nation building, the Prime Minister said.

Greeting the people of India on Independence Day, Shri Narendra Modi stated that he was addressing them not as "Pradhan Mantri" but as "Pradhan Sewak" – the first servant.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a series of initiatives aimed at empowering the common man, and unleashing the potential of India's youth.

In a major new scheme to universalize banking access and financial inclusion, the Prime Minister announced the Pradhanmantri Jan-Dhan Yojana which will provide for a bank account, a debit card and an insurance amount of Rs. one lakh, to poor families.

A nationwide "Skill India" movement will be initiated to provide skills which ensure employability.

The Prime Minister also announced a vision of "Come and Make in India" inviting manufacturers from across the world to invest in India, and help boost India's industrial growth. He called upon the youth of India to unleash their entrepreneurial spirit and work towards manufacturing in India, the various items that add to our import bill. Let "Made in India" become a synonym of excellence, he added.

Emphasizing that digital infrastructure is a priority to empower the citizens, Shri Narendra Modi announced his Government's resolve to work towards Digital India, which would provide information and services to the people in a timely and effective manner.

Stressing on the need for cleanliness, the Prime Minister announced his Government's resolve for "Swachh Bharat" – a vision which will be launched on October 2nd this year, to be accomplished by 2019, on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. In a related initiative, the Prime Minister said the first step towards "Swachh Bharat" begins with immediate effect, through a commitment to build toilets in all schools, including separate toilets for girls, within one year.

The Prime Minister announced the launch of the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana, under which each Member of Parliament would be invited to make one model village in his constituency, by 2016. He said a complete blueprint for this scheme would be announced on October 11th, the birth anniversary of Shri Jayaprakash

Shri Narendra Modi announced that a new institution would be created to replace the Planning Commission. This new institution would respect the federal structure of the country, he asserted.

Thanking all Members of Parliament, including the Opposition Parties for a productive session of Parliament, the Prime Minister said his Government wished to move forward by consensus.

Referring to reports of the positive change in work culture of the Union Government since he took over as Prime Minister, the Prime Minister said he was taken aback by such news reports – since it should be the norm for Government Servants to work with due diligence. The Prime Minister said the fact that this should make news, shows how low our collective standards of duty and responsibility have fallen. The Prime Minister called upon society to give up the selfish attitude of "Mera Kya, Mujhe Kya."

The Prime Minister also said he was appalled by the discord and disunity among various Government departments that he saw after assuming office. He assured the people that he would resolve this issue, so that the Government of India worked not as an assembled entity, but as an organic entity. The Prime Minister said development and good governance were the only two tracks which could take the nation forward.

The Prime Minister expressed dismay at the rising number of rape incidents in the country. Pointing out that daughters are asked a lot of questions in a family, he called upon parents to question their sons also, and keep a tab on their activities. Every rapist is someone's son, the Prime Minister said. In a similar vein, he called upon misguided youth who had taken to terrorism or Maoism, to give up violence and return to the national mainstream.

The Prime Minister quoted Shri Aurobindo and Swami Vivekananda, reflecting on their vision to see India as a "Jagatguru" once again, and called upon all Indians to help convert this vision into reality.

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